Paradelle for Lily
by The Luna Complex
Summary: Based off of Billy Collins' Paradelle for Susan.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the pocky I'm eating, the Harry Potter shirt I'm wearing, the titles of Lily's poems (because they're all poems I wrote!), and James' terrible attempt at a paradelle.**

**Based off of Billy Collins' 'Paradelle for Susan'.**

Interesting fact: The paradelle is a clever form invented by American poet, Billy Collins, to mock strict formal poetry, particularly the villanelle. (I personally hate that form, too.) Many critics, not realizing it was a parody of formal poetry, flamed Collins saying that his 'Paradelle for Susan' was an amateur attempt at a strict form. Many were inspired by Collins and proceeded to write their own paradelles, but they took it seriously and wrote much better poems.

A paradelle is a poem of four six-line stanzas in which the first and second lines, as well as the third and fourth lines of the first three stanzas, must be identical. The fifth and sixth lines, which traditionally resolve these stanzas, must use all the words from the preceding lines and only those words. Similarly, the final stanza must use every word from all the preceding stanzas and only those words.

Now, on to the story!

* * *

Lily Evans was a poet, he concluded. She spent all of her time writing. She was practically a writing machine. She quite often gets in trouble during class for choosing to write poetry instead of paying attention. Oh well, apparently when you're a poet, you have to get something out as soon as it strikes you. 

And here he was, with Lily Evans' _portfolio._

She had rushed out to avoid an angry Professor Sinestra and had left it behind. He thought briefly about returning it to her, but soon overruled that thought. This was a once in a lifetime chance. Only Lily's closest friends got to hear her poetry, and according to Remus, who had the pleasure of being one of those friends, she was _really_ good.

Not that he cared; he just wanted to delve into her deepest thoughts and secrets.

He flopped down on his bed and pulled his hangings closed. He didn't want anyone to find out, especially Remus. He carefully opened the folder.

He chuckled a bit at the sight of the neatly organized folder. She had apparently added little dividers separating different forms of poetry.

He briefly read through a poem sorted into the "Villanelle" section called "The Werewolf" and felt a small pang of sadness. Apparently, she knew of Remus' lycanthropy. Seeing her words on paper kind of put a new perspective on things. Gosh, that girl was perceptive.

He pulled out another poem from a section labeled "Sestina" and promptly burst out in laughter. The poem, "Fag", was about how the fastest way to kill the citizens of the UK would be to poison their cigarettes. (Even more than they already were.) She was awfully creative. No wonder he fell in love with her.

There were a variety of sections in her folder, but one of the biggest sections was a section labeled "Paradelle." Apparently, she loved writing them, and had a number of astonishing pieces like "I Came to Dance" and "Eyelash Wishes".

Well, he decided, if she liked paradelles so much, then he could write one of his own... and write it about her. After studying a few of her paradelles, he understood the rules and began to write...

* * *

"Attention everyone!" 

James Potter was standing on a table in the Great Hall, and, as usual, demanding everyone's attention.

"I have a little poem to read you all about the lovely Miss Evans over there."

Lily groaned and let her head fall to the surface of the table.

He cleared his throat and began.

"Your hair is as red as a sunset in summer

Your hair is as red as a sunset in summer

Your eyes are as green as grass in spring

Your eyes are as green as grass in spring

In spring your hair is green as grass

As in summer your eyes are red as a sunset as

I love you more than Snivelly does

I love you more than Snivelly does

I also wash my hair on a daily basis

I also wash my hair on a daily basis

I also love you hair on a daily basis

Snivelly more than wash does

You said you'd date the giant squid before me

You said you'd date the giant squid before me

I'd turn myself into one for you

I'd turn myself into one for you

You'd date myself before you said

I'd turn into one the giant squid me

I'd spring for you as a giant squid

You'd love me more than Snivelly

I myself turn into green grass on a daily basis

Sunset hair in summer you said

You'd date your eyes before you wash my hair

Your red is as also your are as also does in the one as."

So he had a bit of trouble in that last stanza... but that wasn't an excuse for everyone to laugh at him!

He didn't let his embarrassment show, however, and took a bow before sitting in his seat.

"Nice one, Prongs," his best friend, Sirius whispered in his ear.

James didn't respond.

* * *

"Potter!" 

For the first time in his life, he ignored her and kept walking.

"...James?"

The sound of his name on her lips surprised him so much he had to stop.

"I... suppose you want your portfolio back," he said, dejected.

"That would be nice."

"Look, Lily," he stammered, "I'm sorry. I-I made a fool out of myself... and you. I didn't mean to... honest! I-" but a hand on his mouth cut him off.

"Listen to me, Pot- er... James," she started, "I agree, you did make a fool out of the both of us."

He hung his head, dejectedly.

"But," his head immediately perked up, "I _do_ know how difficult a paradelle can be... and I appreciate the effort. Especially since you had to figure out the form just from reading my stuff."

Then, she leaned up and pecked him lightly on the cheek. When James finally gathered control of his senses, she was halfway down the corridor.

"Lily!" he yelled, "Don't you want your portfolio back?"

"Keep it!" she yelled back.

Then she winked at him.

Thank Merlin for bad poetry.

**A/N: I'm terrible, aren't I? I should be working on Starlight! This one is also not exactly the best thing I've ever written. Ah, well. Although you probably don't care... Lily's poem "Fag" is actually the only one that isn't a real poem I've written, but it's based off of my real Sestina "Fast Food". It's based off events in America, though, so it wouldn't fit very well with British culture. I'm also obsessed with the phrase "Get that fag away from my pussy before it spontaneously combusts." I love language translations. :) **

**For those of you who want to read "Paradelle for Susan", I'm pretty sure you could find it online if you looked it up. It's quite amusing, actually.**

**Leave a review and I'll share my pocky with you!**

**P.S. I'm not a homophobe. My two best friends are both bi and another one is gay.  
**


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